Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Come, Ye Children of the Lord

Marilee Leishman Religious Arrangements 1 Comment
Come, Ye Children of the Lord

This week, for the first time, I’ve done an instrumental collaboration with a friend of mine, Paige Vogt, who is a beautiful violinist. I am excited to share this with you! I had a lot of fun with this project. We adapted this piece from a two-part voice, violin and piano arrangement of the same song by Nik Day, Josh Rich, and Leandra Gibson. Also, for the first time in this series, I am posting a song that is not the “suggested song” for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson. Paige and I had been working on this project already for another event and I decided that I couldn’t pass up the chance to record it with her. Regardless, I feel that the lyrics of this hymn fit very well with these passages of scripture found in Malachi…  

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I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus

Marilee Leishman Religious Arrangements 1 Comment
I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus

Here is my vocal arrangement of “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus” The original song is found in the LDS Children’s Songbook; which is the suggested song for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson on Haggai & Zechariah 1-3; 7-14. The manual this week references Sister Carol F. McConkie when she said “Holiness is making the choices that will keep the Holy Ghost as our guide. Holiness is setting aside our natural tendencies and becoming ‘a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord’ [Mosiah 3:19]. … Our hope for holiness is centered in Christ, in His mercy and His grace” (“The Beauty of Holiness,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 9–10).

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Seek the Lord Early

Marilee Leishman Religious Arrangements 1 Comment
Seek the Lord Early

Here is my vocal arrangement of “Seek the Lord Early.” The original song is found in the LDS Children’s Songbook; which is the suggested song for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson on Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah. In regards to this study section, the manual says, “Reading the Old Testament often means reading prophecies about destruction. The Lord frequently called prophets to warn the wicked that His judgments were upon them. The ministries of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah are good examples. In dreadful detail, these prophets foretold the downfall of cities that, at the time, seemed strong and powerful—Nineveh, Babylon, and even Jerusalem. The descriptions of destruction are tempered by invitations to come unto Christ and receive His mercy: “Seek ye the Lord … ; seek righteousness, seek meekness” (Zephaniah 2:3). This was the Lord’s way anciently, and it is His way today. “His ways are everlasting” (Habakkuk 3:6).

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I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go

Marilee Leishman Religious Arrangements 1 Comment
I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go

Here is a vocal arrangement of “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” as found in the LDS Hymnbook; which is the suggested song for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson on Jonah & Micah. The story of Jonah is one where he at first doesn’t want to “go where you want me to go” and flees the call of God to preach to Nineveh. Upon his calamities and repentance he listens again to the Lord’s command and preaches to the people of Nineveh. Jonah has to repent multiple times for not hearkening and not understanding God’s love for his people of all nations, (….and don’t we all need to do the same thing!)

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We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

Marilee Leishman Religious Arrangements 1 Comment
We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

Here is a piano arrangement of “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet” as found in the LDS Hymnbook; which is the suggested song for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson on Amos & Obadiah. One verse that stands out to me as going well with this hymn is: Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets”. I love the idea that God has always and will continue to speak to prophets to warn and preach to his children, to act as a “watchman on the tower”, and to give guidance for their specific struggles in the period in which they live. 

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Come unto Jesus

Marilee Leishman Religious Arrangements 1 Comment
Come unto Jesus

Here is a piano arrangement of “Come unto Jesus” as found in the LDS Hymnbook; which is the suggested song for this week’s  Come Follow Me lesson on Hosea and Joel. One of the beautiful scriptures from this section that goes well with this hymn is Joel 2:13; “Turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.”

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I Want to Live the Gospel

Marilee Leishman Religious Arrangements 1 Comment
I Want to Live the Gospel

This week, I am posting a vocal arrangement of our Come Follow Me suggested song, “I Want to Live the Gospel” found in the LDS Children’s Songbook.  My arrangement may sound a bit different than the original, both rhythmically and melodically. I also wrote two short additional verses to add to the length and depth of the song. This week’s Come Follow Me Lesson is on the book of Daniel and there are quite a few examples of Daniel and other figures living gospel principles in the face of great adversity.

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Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd

Marilee Leishman Religious Arrangements 3 Comments
Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd

This week, I am posting a vocal arrangement of our Come Follow Me suggested song, “Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd” found in the LDS Hymnbook. This lesson studies portions of the book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament. Ezekiel chapter 34 uses the symbolism of the “Shepherd” in a few different contexts. One of these contexts is “shepherds” or leaders during Ezekiel’s time who should have been caring for their flock or the people within their stewardship, but were not…. and the other being the ultimate “shepherd”, Jesus Christ, who seeks after his lost sheep. 
Ezekiel 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 

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